


Only fools rush in

by Moonmares



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Anxious Tommy, Boys In Love, Cute Ending, Cute romance, E-boy Tubbo, Eboy Tubbo, Fem Tubbo, Femboy Tubbo, Fluff, M/M, Nervous Tommy, No Sex, No Smut, Outsider Tommy, Popular Tubbo, Purely Fluff, Romance, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), School Dances, Wholesome, teenagers in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:13:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28194507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonmares/pseuds/Moonmares
Summary: Tommy is too scared to ask his crush out for the school dance but decides to show up anyway. What could go wrong?[This story depicts TommyInnit and Tubbo in a romantic relationship. There is no smut or sexualisation in this story. It's just cute fluff and stupid boys in love. Read at your own risk]
Relationships: Toby Smith | Tubbo/TommyInnit
Comments: 21
Kudos: 280





	Only fools rush in

**Author's Note:**

> This is your last warning. If you don't wanna read romantic depictions of Tommy and Tubbo don't read this story. There aren't even character tags on this. You were looking for this so stop complaining.
> 
> Since I have no idea how the end of a school year, school dances and all that works in the UK or really any part of the world, this story is probably a blend of my experiences in school and the Anglo-American image of school I've seen in popular media. (For example, the kids don't wear school uniforms but there are also fancy school dances which aren't a thing in my country so idk)  
> I don't care if it's accurate to anyone's school experience, it is cute and that's all that counts.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this little story I wrote on a bored Saturday and have a beautiful day you wonderful people <3

(I)

Something about the way the air felt on that day was different.  
The sun was burning the ground below just as much as it did Tommy’s skin. His eyes hurt in the blinding light but he almost didn’t notice.  
School was almost out, summer holidays were just one period away.  
He just needed to get his report card, say goodbye to his class and leave this cursed place. The summer was free and the summer was now.  
Except… there was a school dance tonight, and this was the first time he was old enough to go.  
All his friends went there. They had asked a pretty girl or a cute boy to the dance, and now they were already filled with excitement. Their first big school dance. They were the big guys now.  
Tommy had not asked anyone to the dance yet. He was filled with anxiety.  
He wasn’t the guy for social events, he wasn’t the guy for parties and things, he liked to spend time alone. He was actually pretty shy but hiding his personality behind a big grin and a loud laugh had worked most of the time.  
It was too late now anyway. Everyone who wanted to go had a date anyway. And even if they didn’t, Tommy didn’t know who to ask anyway.  
That was a lie. He knew exactly who to ask.

The bell rang and he took the stairs to his classroom, where most of his classmates were already hanging out. The tension in the air was electrifying, everyone nervous about their report cards but excited for tonight.  
Tommy said down on a bench and took a deep breath. He wasn’t afraid of his report card. He always had good grades this year. He was gonna make it.  
But then he heard the other half of the class approach, laughing, joking.  
The ‘popular’ kids. Kids of rich parents, those that were good at sports, members of the student council, the ones that were just good-looking but shallow and the ones that made up for their lack in attractiveness by being witty or charismatic.  
And Tubbo.  
In the centre of the group, surrounded by all these perfect, admirable people was Tubbo. His dark brown hair swooped back from running his fingers through it. Wearing a pink crop top with Japanese writing on it, a black and white skirt and matching All-Stars.  
The black gloves he had pulled off due to the heat in one of his hands, the other gesticulating as he told a funny story to one of his mates.  
Tubbo was the most popular kid in class, honestly in the whole year and probably one of the most popular guys in the whole school.  
His real name was Toby, but everyone, even some of the teachers, just called him Tubbo.  
Tommy tried -but failed- to stop staring at the attractive boy surrounded by all his popular and successful friends.  
Him and Tubbo got along well when they talked, which was rarely.  
Tubbo was one of the wittiest but also kindest people Tommy knew and when they got to talk, Tubbo seemed to like him as well. But because he had so many friends, so many friends that were prettier, more popular and more successful than Tommy ever would be, they hardly had the time to talk.  
Tommy wanted to ask Tubbo to the dance.  
He knew it was possible. Not only were they in totally different leagues, there also was no way Tubbo didn’t have a date yet.  
Tommy had asked many people, but even if nobody knew who Tubbo was going there with, he was a hundred percent sure that Tubbo had a date. Hell, he probably had a list of back up people.

Last period came and gone, Tommy’s report card was acceptable and when he left school after wishing his friends goodbye and a nice summer, he felt strangely hollow and cold in the scorching sun.  
He had not asked Tubbo. They hadn’t even talked. But he hadn’t asked anyone else either. Tommy had no date for the dance. But he was going, nonetheless.

(II)

Night had rolled into town and Tommy was getting ready for the dance. He had lied to his Mum about having asked a cute girl, so she wouldn’t ask weird questions why he left for a dance he didn’t have a date for.  
He picked his nicest trousers, as black shirt and a red and white jacket that made him look like one of the popular kids.  
The air had cooled over the afternoon and since he planned on staying out long tonight, he wasn’t afraid of getting a heat stroke.  
His fingers ran through his hair, trying to make the blonde curls look like less of a bird’s nest. He really hoped he looked at least half decent.  
Why was he even leaving for a dance without a date? He was hoping that maybe he could just talk a few of his friends, maybe even have the odd dance with one of his girl mates. Just as friends. Just having a little fun.  
Tommy left the house at seven, the sun was still out and the sky was a dark orange.  
“Your brother will pick you up at eleven. Even if there are teachers, I don’t want you out all night. You got that, young man?”  
He just nodded before pulling the door shut and taking the road down towards the bus stop.

When he arrived at the school hall, a large crowd of kids, their parents and other people had amassed outside. He wasn’t spotting any of his mates, though, so he showed the bumper his school id card and entered the hall that was still pretty empty.  
Boring basic mainstream pop music was wrung from the speakers and pink and purple lights flickered all over the room.  
He got a bag of crisps at the snack bar and sat down on a bench near the stage.  
It took about half an hour, but during the first speech of the principle, a couple of his buddies from his year arrived. And while talking to them was nice, of course, he noticed how weird the situation was.  
All of them were paired-up, had asked each other out for the night and were standing around, talking and doing things in pairs. Even the ones that only went to the dance as friends.  
But he was alone. He alone was alone.  
He didn’t pay attention to the topic of conversation and watched the seniors that were already getting sloshed next to the bar to take his mind of funny thoughts.  
A huge crowd of people spilt into the hall, presumably the guys that had been chilling outside until now, since the music was turned up and the principle and vice had finished their speeches.  
“Tommy you wanna get something to drink for the group?”, one of his buddies asked, and so he got up and two or three of them headed to the bar.  
Tommy did not speak a word, random stuff was crossing his mind and he wondered if the seniors that were getting drunk before the clock even rung eight were really, really happy or just really, really sad.  
Those were the two moods most people got drunk in after all.  
If he was a senior too now, would he get drunk too to forget he was alone one his first school dance?  
On the way back he saw him, as always surrounded by a group of popular and attractive people laughing at his jokes.  
Tubbo sat at a table with a few other kids, but Tommy didn’t fail to notice that half of them weren’t even in their year. Tubbo clearly had enough friends in the older years, even seniors.  
He pulled his eyes away and got the drinks for his mates.

A little while later, the dance was already in full swing, the music had switched from peppy and generic pop to slow, schmaltzy romance. He watched that one girl he had a crush on in year seven dance with the captain of the school’s basketball team’s captain.  
And he was really glad he wasn’t straight anymore.  
“Well would you look at that”, one of his friends said, watching the crowd like him.  
“All the popular couples are having a blast and we’re just here, forever alone but just as happy”  
Tommy shrugged off her comment. The only reason she wasn’t dancing was that her date was currently in the bathroom. He knew she had a crush on him but was just to shy to admit it, even if it was bloody obvious he liked her back.  
“Speaking of popular and alone… have you noticed Toby Smith?”  
That’s when Tommy jolted up. “Wait… what’s with him?”  
“All of his pretty senior friends have left him. He’s alone at his table. And it doesn’t look like his date is anywhere around… whoever it is anyway”  
She was right. Tubbo was sitting alone at the table, seemingly enjoying himself… but apparently eyeing all his dancing and partying friends.  
Tubbo didn’t have a date? And even if he did… they were nowhere to be seen. They didn’t seem to have any intention to ask him for a dance.  
Tommy could though. He wasn’t even that far away. Tommy was a pretty good dancer. He could just walk over… ask Tubbo for a dance. Just one. That wasn’t weird, was it?  
He stood up, earning funny looks from the other guys at his table.  
“Where are you going?”  
“I thought I could… I mean…”  
His friend giggled. “Ask Toby for a dance? A little too late, lover boy. Stop dreaming. Even if he were interested… you took too long”  
She was right. A boy from the year up had just emerged from a group by the side of the dance floor. He had walked right over to Tubbo, took his hand and pulled the handsome boy into the dancing crowd.  
Tubbo was wearing the same skirt as this morning but had switched out the pink crop for a dark green one. His long sleeves and knee-high socks matched in their striped pattern and even though it was hard to tell from over here, Tommy was sure to make out the dark make up the brunette had put on.  
Tommy cursed but instead of sitting back down, he ran over to the bathroom stalls.

(III)

The music became muffled once the heavy door fell into the lock behind him, but he stumbled further, into one of the stalls, throwing the stall door shut too.  
He pressed his forehead that felt hot from shame and anger and sadness against the cold tiled wall.  
His sweaty palms looked for something to hold on, but his fingers just slowly ran down the smooth wall.  
Hot tears started filling his eyes and slowly running down his deep red cheeks.  
Tommy managed to hold back the sobs, but breathing got hard after a while so he took a deep gasp and broke down crying.  
All these time he had dreamed of this moment. His first dance.  
He wanted to be out there, dancing with the boy he loved. The boy who hardly cared about him.  
And there he was dancing with another boy. Prettier, older and better than Tommy.  
He’d known it was gonna hurt - but he had not anticipated it to hurt this much. And by golly did it hurt.  
He just wanted to punch that stupid older buy in his pretty face. Punch all of these stupid, shallow popular people. Those stupid jocks and the whole student council and the pretty blonde girls and the charismatic oddballs and all the stupid people following them.  
They had everything he wanted but could never have.  
They had Tubbo.  
He had cried before about this but not this much. His cheeks and throat and neck hurt after a while from crying, and so he sunk to his knees before the loo, burying his face in his hands and taking deep breaths.  
He did not hear the door outside and next to him, and when he let out another cry and the deep, raspy voice of a senior boy in the stall next to him. “Uh is someone in here”  
Tommy froze and did not say a word.  
“Sorry”, the boy said, and after he was finished he left quickly.  
Tommy cursed and hit the tiled floor with his fist.  
It hurt but he did not make a sound. He was such a failure. He should’ve asked Tubbo. Not when he was waiting to be asked for a dance, not this morning when he grew nervous. Weeks ago, maybe months. Asked him for this dance.  
Other people came and left but Tommy stayed in the stall for almost an hour. He considered calling his brother to take him home early, but he was afraid to look like a coward.  
He turned off his phone when his friends swarmed it with messages about where he had gone to, and after he took another breather, he opened the stall door and got out.

He looked himself in the mirror, after splashing his face with cold water from the tap.  
That felt better, but he looked like shit.  
His carefully styled hair looked like a big mop of lumpy noodles, his eyes and cheeks were red and his whole face looked dishevelled.   
“Pull yourself together man”, he whispered.  
He was gonna go out there and hang out with his friends. That was gonna be fun. Just hang out, make fun of the pretentious ‘popular’ people and have a swell evening. Maybe next year he was gonna have a date for the dance.  
But tonight was just gonna be fun. He didn’t even care a bit about Tubbo.  
“I don’t even care a bit about Tubbo”, he said to himself.  
“Well that’s not nice”  
Tommy turned around, as his heart jumped so high he swore he could shortly taste it in the back of his throat.  
Tubbo was standing in the doorway to the hallway outside, the heavy door clicked into the lock just that moment.  
“Tubbo”  
Tommy did not know what to say. Here he was. With Tubbo. Alone. No one around.  
At the worst possible time in the worst possible place.  
“I’m sorry, Tubbo. I… I didn’t mean it like that… I…”  
“You know your friends are worried sick, do you?”, Tubbo said without evening listening to Tommy’s senseless rambling.  
“What do you mean?”  
“I just talked to them. You’ve been gone for an hour. They thought you probably left but since you didn’t pick up your phone they had no way of telling…”  
Tommy did not understand. Of course, what Tubbo said made perfect sense… but how did he…  
“How do you know what my friends are thinking?”  
“Because I talked to them”, Tubbo said, leaning against the wall next to the door. It was impossible to tell if he was accusing or angry or just confused about Tommy acting like the biggest doof.  
“You talked to them? Why?”  
“Because I assumed they knew where you were. I couldn’t find you anywhere in the hall or outside…”  
“What do you mean? Why were you looking for me?”  
None of this made sense.  
“Because I wanted to see how you were doing. I… I heard you didn’t have a date for tonight, so I figured you might be a little bored… so I…”  
“You what?” Tommy could not believe his ears.  
“You care about how I feel?”  
Tubbo nodded. “Of course I do. We’re friends, aren’t we? I mean… we haven’t talked that much recently… but… I still care about you, Tommy”  
Both boys looked at each other, and Tommy did not know whether to laugh or to cry. So he did neither.  
“And like I said… I figured you might feel alone… I mean I did since I don’t have a date either and since you..”  
“YOU don’t have a date?” Tommy shouted.  
“I don’t. Wasn’t feeling like it, to be honest”, Tubbo shrugged. He looked super chill about it.  
“But you’re Tubbo… the most popular kid in school. Smart, charismatic, successful... “ Tommy felt himself blushing as he added “Attractive” to the list, a lot quieter.  
Tubbo laughed. A genuine, warm laugh that melted Tommy’s nervous heart.  
“Oh Tommy, stop flattering me. I’m not… and even if I were… I still got to decide if I want a date for tonight. I mean… yeah a couple of people asked me out… but none of them seemed right. If I go to my first dance with a real date, I want it to be someone I feel a hundred percent comfortable with”  
Tommy stared at him. “But that boy… who you danced with…”  
“He’s not my date”, Tubbo laughed, “He’s got a boyfriend. He just asked me for a quick dance or two. I don’t have a date, Tommy. Trust me”  
Tommy still refused to accept that fact, but he just nodded. “O-okay… yeah… but you if you felt lonely… why didn’t you ask someone to hang out with… or dance with?”  
Tubbo laughed again.  
“You can be a little dense, huh? Guess why I was looking for you”  
“Shut up”, Tommy said and from the corner of the eye, he saw his face in the mirror growing redder by the minute.  
“No. Really. I wanted to ask you for a dance or two. But if you’d rather cry on the bathroom floor for an hour, I can leave you alone”  
“Shut up”, Tommy said and got closer to Tubbo. “Let’s… let’s fucking dance”

(Epilogue)

The night had swallowed all light except for the million little stars in the sky.  
The hot summer day and warm evening and melted into a mild night.  
Tommy and Tubbo were sitting on a bench outside the school hall enjoying the calmness and solitude after they escaped the crowded, loud hall.  
They didn’t have a dance or two. They spent all evening together, and Tommy had never been happier in his entire life.  
Tubbo was such a straightforward, honest person, it was easy to make him laugh and have fun with him.  
His eyes sparkled whenever him and Tommy told a joke or got to the slow part of the song while they danced.  
Now they had ditched all the people and their eyes inside to take a breather.  
“This… was really beautiful”, Tommy said, and Tubbo smiled.  
“Thank you. You… you really saved me back there. And I mean it”  
Tubbo smiled again and shrugged his shoulders. “No worries, man… I… I just felt bad for you.. and it turns out it was the right decision”  
They listened to the muffled music from the party, the voices talking in the distance and the sounds of a summer night.  
“Listen, Tubbo… I actually wanted to ask you out for tonight. All the time. Like… since Easter or probably Christmas”  
Tubbo giggled. “Really? You wanted to ask me out? Why didn’t you just do that? Would’ve made things a lot easier tonight, wouldn’t it?”  
“Yeah but… I didn’t think you would say yes to someone like me. I’m not popular or successful or attractive like all your friends are… I’m stupid and annoying and…”  
“Tommy I don’t like you talking about yourself like that”, Tubbo said, “You are neither stupid nor annoying. You are really funny, really cool and also… really attractive. And you don’t need to compare yourself to any of my -how you call them- ‘popular’ friends. You are my friend too, you know? For a reason. You’re amazing”  
Tommy stared at the other boy in disbelief, but then the creaky noise of a car honk made both boys jolt up.  
Tommy turned around and saw his older brother Wilbur lean out of the window of his car, barely 10 feet away from where the two boys were sitting.  
“I don’t wanna interrupt you two”, he said with the sheepish, stupid grin only an older brother busting his younger brother’s date can have, “But if I don’t have you home by eleven, our mother is gonna kill both you and me, Tommy”  
Tommy sighed. “Coming, Wilbur”  
He turned back to Tubbo who watched the whole scene giggling.  
“I’m sorry, I gotta…”  
“It’s okay, Tommy. Hey… you got my number from the class group chat, right? Why don’t you give me a call these days… we could meet up in private… I mean we got all summer to us, don’t we?”  
Tommy nearly jumped in the air from excitement.  
“We do, we do. I will, I will. Thank you… I mean… Good Night, Tubbo. We… I… you…”  
Wilbur pressed the honk of his car again.  
“See you, Tommy”, Tubbo laughed as Tommy stumbled away.  
Both boys grinning with their stomachs full of a billion fluttering butterflies.


End file.
